Draco Malfoy And The Year He Grew Up
by TheWolfWithinMe
Summary: Set during the 6th Year, Draco is tasked with killing Harry instead of Dumbledore. Can he really destroy the guy he claims to hate or will he turn against his family, the Dark Lord and everything he knows to help Potter win the war once and for all? {[Drarry/Slash/AU]}


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters.

Warnings: Eventual slash, Drarry, swearing and random bits of fluff.

* * *

'You have to do this, Draco.'

Narcissa moved to sit beside her son, her voice carrying a hint of sorrow. 'You know that the Dark Lord will kill us all if you don't.'

'So it's kill or be killed?' Draco replied bitterly.

Standing up, he brushed off his mother's comforting touch and strolled towards the window, leaning against the cold stone wall beside it for support. Peering out, all seemed normal. The sun still shone, the birds still sang, and yet... Draco's world was about to change.

'What if I can't?' He asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

'Can't. Don't. It will all end the same for us, son. You were specially chosen for this task, aren't you excited?'

Draco turned to face his mother. He could see it in her eyes as well; she didn't want him to do this. She knew it was too much, knew it would result in her son's death. Swallowing, she fixed her gaze onto his, almost pleading.

'Draco... Please.'

With a frustrated growl, the young blonde took a step towards his mother. 'I didn't ask for this! Any of it!' Whipping the sleeve of his jacket up, he shoved his arm in front of his mother's eyes, showing off the Dark Mark. 'Is this the life you really want for me? To be a killer like my father?'

'Draco -'

'I'm not doing it, mother.' Draco spat, rolling his sleeve back down to hide the ugly tattoo.

'Harry Potter needs to die, darling, and you've always hated him. Do this and it'll be all over, isn't that what you want?'

The front door slammed, saving Draco from answering. He wasn't sure his mother would have liked what he was going to say, so the distraction was a blessing. If only a small one. His father rounded the corner, stopping in his tracks at the sight of them both. His dark eyes drifted from his wife to his son, and back again.

'What's going on?'

Narcissa jumped to her feet and hurried over to meet her husband, one hand effortlessly removing his travelling cloak. 'Nothing, darling. Just making sure Draco is ready for school tomorrow.' Casting a glance at her son, she added. 'You are, aren't you?'

'Of course I am, mother.' He said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. 'I'm always ready to go back to that Hell Hole.'

Draco actually enjoyed being at Hogwarts more than at Malfoy Manor, but he didn't dare tell his father this. Lucius was already looking for a reason to withdraw his son from school and turn him into a full time Death Eater, and Draco didn't want to hand him an excuse on a solid gold platter.

'Go get some sleep, son.' Lucius replied with a nod. 'You have a busy year ahead of you.'

'Yes, father.'

With another quick look towards his mother, he slipped past them both and headed upstairs, silently wondering if he would even survive the entire year.

* * *

Platform 9 and 3/4's was packed as usual, the clatter of students talking and owls hooting almost like music to Draco's ears. Scouring the crowd for his two friends, he grabbed Crabbe and Goyle by the back of their shirts and hauled them onto the Hogwarts Express, pushing past milling students until he found an empty compartment. Shutting the door behind them, he flopped onto the seat and immediately stretched out, not bothering to say goodbye to his parents.

'Have a good holiday?' He asked the other two, pulling a chocolate frog from his pocket and opening it. A Godric Gryffindor card fell into his lap and he lifted it up with a snort, immediately being reminded of Potter.

Potter. The one he had to kill this year. The thought alone made his mood darken and he tossed the card to one side, barely focusing on what Goyle was saying.

'My mother said that if my grades don't improve, she'd be pulling me from school - Don't see why it matters though,' Goyle said with a grunt. 'Won't need qualifications to become a Death Eater, will I?'

Crabbe snickered in agreement.

'If Potter defeats the Dark Lord, there won't _be_ any Death Eaters left.' Draco said quietly.

'But he won't -' Goyle cut in. He shot an annoyed glance towards Malfoy before continuing. 'My father says there's a plot to kill Potter this year. I'm personally all for it, that brat needs to die. _Chosen One,_ my ass.'

'Is that how you want to spend your life, Goyle? Being The Dark Lord's bitch?' Draco asked, a brow raised. 'But then, I suppose that's already your purpose in life, to be a servant to others. You're just practicing with me.'

Goyle snarled under his breath.

'What's your problem, Draco?' Crabbe added, glancing from one boy to the other. 'Darkness runs in our blood. We were _all_ born to follow in our fathers footprints.'

Draco merely shrugged, stuffing another frog into his mouth. The compartment door opened, seemingly on its own, then closed again.

'What the -?'

Goyle stood up and pushed the door open, sticking his head out to check the corridor. 'It's empty.' He muttered.

'Probably someone playing a joke.' Draco shrugged again, 'Shut the door before someone hears our conversation, idiot.'

Goyle slammed the door shut a little harder than necessary and sat down again, his eyes fixed on Draco. 'One day I'll be bigger and better than you, Malfoy.' He said coldly.

'In your dreams.' Draco snorted.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station several hours later, wheels screeching loudly as they came to a stop beside the platform. Goyle jumped up without saying a word to Draco and stormed off down the corridor, shoving aside any students who got in his way.

'What's going on with him?' Crabbe asked, bewildered.

'I don't know.' Draco replied, reaching up to pull his trunk down from the rail above his head. A muffled 'ow' was heard in the compartment, causing Draco to turn towards his remaining friend.

'Was that you?' He questioned.

'No, I thought it was you.' Crabbe blinked.

Draco frowned and stretched his hand out again, blindly grabbing at thin air until he found what he was looking for. Curling his fingers around the invisible silk-like fabric, he tugged hard. Potter's head suddenly appeared. Tugging even more, the rest of the other wizard's body came into view. He was curled up on the rail, staring at them both with disgust.

'Eavesdropping is rude, Potter.' Draco growled, holding onto the cloak tightly so that Harry couldn't take it back. 'Sorry to say you were a little late to hear anything useful.'

Harry jumped down from the metal rails and withdrew his wand, his eyes darting from Malfoy to Crabbe, then back again. 'Still got enough to get you and your pathetic ass thrown out of here.' He said boldly.

Crabbe inched forward several steps before being blocked by Draco's arm. 'Leave him to me.' He hissed, pushing his friend towards the door. 'Go find Goyle before he does something stupid.'

Nodding, Crabbe grabbed his trunk and disappeared, leaving the two wizards completely alone.

Silence fell over the compartment until Harry finally spoke. 'Surprised you came back, Malfoy. Thought you'd be off scrubbing your Master's shoes, or whatever it is you Death Eaters do when you're not killing innocent people.'

His words caught Draco off guard and he flinched, 'Death Eater? I'm not -'

'Come off it, Malfoy.' Harry said icily, 'You may not have the Mark but you're still a Death Eater, through and through. Your family are Voldemort's biggest supporters, isn't that right?'

Draco flinched again, quickly covering it with a sneer. 'Correct again, Potter. I'm just a piece of lowlife scum like my father.' Throwing the invisibility cloak back at the other wizard, he turned tail and stalked off down the hallway. His heart was racing, his body visibly pulsing with anger. Potter's words hit a nerve he didn't even know he had.

Maybe killing him wouldn't be as hard as he previously thought.


End file.
